Gas discharge lamps, such as xenon lamps, are used, for example, as flash lights in consumer electronic devices, for example, in pocket cameras, mobile phones, PDAs, mobile computers and the like. In particular xenon flash lights are used together with camera modules in these devices. Driving a gas discharge lamp may require at least two transformers within the driving circuit. One transformer may be used for charging a discharge capacitor, the capacitor driving the gas discharge lamp. A second transformer may be used for providing an ignition impulse to the gas discharge lamp. The ignition impulse is used for igniting a gas discharge arc. Upon igniting the discharge arc, the arc is driven by the discharge capacitor.
In view of the requirements for two transformers, the electronic structures required usually take up a large volume. In particular providing a transformer as discrete element on a printed wiring board requires a large volume. However, volume is crucial in mobile applications, in particular in mobile user electronic devices. The trend drives the devices to ever smaller sizes, making prior art drive circuits for discharge lamps futile due to their large size.